Shared Effort Software License
A Basic License plus optional Modules, tailored to one project and issued as a blank.
Shared Effort Software License, abbreviated SESL, is version 0.3 of July 2025. What it governs, in the words of the licence itself:
This Basic License sets forth the fundamental terms and conditions governing the collaborative development and non-commercial use of software within the Shared Effort Software initiative. This license promotes collaboration, fair contribution, and shared ownership among participants, without the primary aim of commercial profit. It serves as the foundation upon which specific project terms are built using optional Modules.
How it is put together
The Basic License is the same for every project. On top of it sit four Modules, and in each you make one choice. The Basic License together with the chosen Modules is called a License Configuration — the specific terms governing one particular project.
| Decision Making (DM) | Defines the process for making decisions regarding the project, including acceptance of
Contributions, allocation of Contribution Shares, and other project-related matters. It
also defines the “Decision-Making Body”. In the Basic License: This Module replaces the generic provisions regarding “Acceptance of Contributions and Participants” and “Contribution Accounting and Share Allocation” in the Basic License. It also defines the "Decision-Making Body." |
|---|---|
| Commercialization (CM) | Defines the terms for commercial use of the Program and the distribution of resulting
revenues, if applicable. In the Basic License: This Module adds conditions to the "Grant of Rights" section of the Basic License, specifically regarding commercial use. It also defines how "Net Revenues" are calculated. |
| Intellectual Property Management (IPM) | Defines the process for making decisions regarding intellectual property rights —
who has the authority to choose or modify the protection options, and
how those decisions are made. In the Basic License: This Module determines who makes decisions related to intellectual property rights, while the "Intellectual Property Protection" Module defines what those options are. It supplements the "Grant of Rights" section of the Basic License by specifying who has the authority to grant specific rights related to intellectual property. Transition to IPP Module: After the IPM Module determines who has the authority to make decisions related to IP, the chosen IPP option(s) from the "Intellectual Property Protection" Module then comes into effect. |
| Intellectual Property Protection (IPP) | Defines the ownership and management of intellectual property rights related to the
Program — what those options are. In the Basic License: This Module clarifies the ownership of intellectual property rights related to the Program, supplementing the "Grant of Rights" section of the Basic License. |
Terms the licence uses
| Program | The software developed under this License Configuration, including source code, documentation, and related materials. |
|---|---|
| Participant | An individual or entity that contributes to the Program and has their Contribution accepted according to the terms of this License Configuration. |
| Contribution | Any original work of authorship contributed to the Program — source code, documentation, bug fixes, testing, design, and other creative input. |
| Project Initiator | The Participant who initiated the project and created the initial License Configuration. |
What you receive
A blank: the Basic License with the Modules you chose, carrying a configuration number and an identifier. It is a starting point, not a finished legal document. Download it, change any part of it, add what your project needs, and publish it as you see fit.
Choices are not checked against one another and no warnings are shown. Nothing is registered anywhere — an identifier cannot be verified. The Modules are basic: they close most questions, deliberately not all.
Generate a blank